E-C Man:
It is my understanding that the first HAUP use of Wave is in their WIN-TV unit which will allow computer users to bring TV and other video content onto their home computers. This market is not the non-technical, non-sophisticated market, but one in which already computer literate users want to expand their availability of content.
Regarding the STB market, which is a separate segment from such items as WIN-TV, I think you might be correctly concerned if the only view of a STB was as a substitute internet source for unsophisticated non-internet users who are not computer literate.
I believe that most people are looking at improvements in set top boxes as being a "higer-tech" advancement of one's every day cable box, rather than being a substitute for a computer, although the device in itself will result in the "graying" of the distinction between computers and entertainment equipment.
In this context the use of Wave in the STB market is one which provides an advancement in controllable content distribution and adds a dimension to the availability and salability of content to a wide range of users. The ultimate market is anyone that is or will be connected to a cable system or other system for distribution of video, data and other content.
It is my understanding that the initial HAUP/WAVO implementation which will be soon shipping with a WaveMeter in it is the former, rather than the latter.
To a degree, however, to tie Wave's future on the acceptance and success of HAUP's WIN-TV is grossly underselling the meaningfulness of the WAVE/EMBASSY concept, but its a natural thing that will happen since it is the first physical, buyable implementation.
Just my opinion.
Steve |
